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In January I made a promise to myself that 2017 was going to be the year that I pay extra close attention to keeping healthy in Body, Mind and Spirit and loving every minute of it. Not that I was lax in years gone by, it is just that I am more focused and aware of my body and its capabilities in a more heighten sense now. Last March as most of you know I broke my ankle while on holiday and was laid up for over 9 months graduating from heavy supportive casts to finally no cast at all. I learnt a lot about injuries and how in a split second one can go from fully mobile to immobility. It was a learning experience. Injuries, slips and falls are not the domain of one age group as some medical professionals would have us believe. Accidents/injuries happen to everyone from the baby in the stroller, the young girl with two broken wrists from rollerblading and all the age groups I encountered at therapy each week.

Not being able to walk in the forest near my home or attend my Zumba dance or yoga classes for an entire year made me realize how precious all those activities are to my daily routine and the healthy lifestyle I treasured and enjoyed. Hence, I set about making a list of healthy practices to embrace fully for not only my body; my mind and spirit also. I joined my first Tai Chi class in January and I am enjoying the challenge of learning the various forms (not moves as I previously thought), knowing that my body mind and spirit are fully engaged in this wonderful healing exercise.

Tai Chi is just one of many things on my list geared towards a healthy body, mind and spirit, some I had been doing for years. Here are eleven from my long list titled: “To my Optimum Health and Well-being.”

Catnap. A 20-minute power nap after lunch (when you can) is a powerful rejuvenator. It leaves you refreshed, alert, and ready to tackle the rest of your day filled with Vim and Vigour. Your body and mind will thank you for it. I discovered this wonderful pick-me-upper about 10 years ago when I was working in a Clinic with an early morning start. We had a 2- 1/2 hour lunch and I lived 8 minutes away so that helped. For a while, I was hesitant to share that I enjoyed napping due to the stigma attached to this wonderful de-stressor. Then I read an article in the Huffington Post on the benefits of napping! So I came out of the Catnapping closet!

Treat yourself! Get a massage, or a facial, a Reflexology or Reiki treatment, or join a dance class. One girl told me herself and friends went to a Pole dancing class and it was a hoot. They laughed themselves silly for the entire time. There are so many options and only you know what would bring you joy and make your day. It is by no means selfish wanting to do something special for you. Self-care and self-love is an important way of filling your cup, only then do you have enough to share with those you love.

Live In the Now! It is all we truly own and have!I still have to give myself a reminder ever so often to keep focused in the Now when I find myself somewhere else. Life is a Journey. Enjoy it! Many people miss so much because all they talk about is who they were, how they were, and where they were. The NOW does not exist for them. That is a very unhealthy way to live life. Honour the Past – Live in the Now!

Drink lots of Alkaline Water. Your body will thank you. This is important. I try to drink an optimal amount of water, especially when I am working as I get caught up and tend to forget that my body requires water.The physical body relies heavily on being supplied lots of clean, toxic free, alkaline water daily in order to function optimally. I always bless my water, sending love and gratitude to the water before drinking it. We could not survive without water.

Read – Nourish your mind. With numerous wonderful books waiting to be read I promised myself to start reading – one at a time to the end.

Learn Something New each day. There are countless free online seminars and webinars about every subject known to mankind. Find one you like and learn something new. Your mind will love you for it. I made a note to myself that said: “Don’t be afraid to ask questions.” People love it when you ask them a question and they have an opportunity to share their knowledge.

Watch Your Self Talk. I refuse to entertain negative self-talk or self-doubt. It is the most crippling form of negativity there is and can kill any creativity waiting to bloom. Be positive. The muscles in your face will thank you!

Balance is the key. Indeed! This is a reminder to me to always find the balance in everything I do. Balance is the key to a healthy, serene, creative and productive life. The Buddha way is: “enjoy the gift of being alive.”

Drink herbal teas. I am a tea drinker and I love trying all the herbals teas available both from the Health Food Store and my own stash. My Naturopath recommended Nettle and Comfrey recently so I am drinking more of those. However, I still make my morning favourite starter tea a couple days a week consisting of fresh Ginger root, 1 Cinnamon stick and 10 Cardamom seeds. Sometimes I add a bag of White or Green Tea to the mixture. Make enough so you can have a cup during the day.

Take long walks in nature. Not being able to walk without an aid for 9 months has made me so aware of how precious it is to have a functioning body and healthy limbs. Keep moving your body even if you are working 9-5 at a desk. Get up. Stretch and flex your muscles and do a few minutes of deep breathing exercises. I recall getting up and doing a 10 count touch my toes exercise just to limber up from my desk. I am sure like me, you would rather “wear out”, than “rust out!”

Do something nice for someone. Either someone you know or better still someone you do not know. It is a way of being of service to the higher energies of the universe. People who help others seem to be the happiest and healthiest.

I would welcome your sharing your ideas and what you do for your health and well-being.

Ear-candling or Ear Coning is a natural ear cleansing method that has been used forcenturies. It is a non-invasive therapy that does not irritate ortraumatize the delicate internal membrane and organs of the ear and is safe when performed by a trained individual.

If you would like to learn this ancient healing art, give Sharon a call at (905) 392-1685 or email her to enquire about her Hosting a Workshop/training for you.

Great sages, spiritual wisdom teachers and many ancient teachings all tell us to Follow Our Hearts. This “cry” has been heard for millennia, and yet in various stages of our lives many of us found it prudent and necessary to nurture the heart and follow the mind. For example, many family “bread winners” have had to overlook the whispering of the heart in order to bring home the bacon, while working in companies where heart is shunned and the mind rules.

It was a great day when I took the Bronze parachute offered me and fixed my compass to steer me through the uncharted waters of a new life and career guided only by my heart’s longing to be of service. In the All Girls High School I attended I was in Brescia House – our colour was Red – Root Chakra. Our House Motto was SERVIAM which is Latin for I Serve, and so with the many Holistic Courses I had been taking over the years for “personal growth” turned out to be my unconscious preparation for a major transition from Mind to Heart Centered work.

Many women share how unhappy they are in the corporate world of “dog-eat- dog” mentality and would like to get the confidence to leave and branch out on their own with a creative endeavour they have set their hearts on. I always tell them, ‘when the time is right you will know, or like myself something will happen to give you a push and the confidence to finally take that leap of faith’.

Here are some important life lessons I learned along life’s highway as an entrepreneur and have had the privilege of sharing with many of my clients and friends. Some you may already know and practice, however repetition is known to be the best teacher in life.

Your commitment to be of service to others is an important way of defining you and your business. The saying “people may forget who you are but they will never forget how you made them feel”, is so very true.

Spend more time on the WHO you are, than what you do. What you do will always be less important than who you become. Knowledge is important. However, it will never take the place of your soul light, your heart’s wisdom, your courage, your integrity, or your reputation as someone who can be trusted and who keeps her/his word. Always try to keep your word.

Life is often filled with challenges and obstacles. When you find yourself challenged, get in the habit of asking yourself the following three questions:

What is the lesson for me?

How can I grow from this experience?

Am I living and fulfilling my Life Purpose?

Clean out your messes! What is a mess? It is anything that uses up your energy in a non- productive manner. E.g. untidy office, desk, living space, also friends/people who drain your energy – avoid them as much as possible. Anything that scatters or uses your energy stopping you from being productive. That is a mess! In Feng Shui a clear space opens up for all your manifestations and dreams to appear in your life. (This one is from my mentor Raymond Aaron who in each session had us deal with the messes!).

Be happy for someone else’s success even when you are struggling to get your business to the level you desire. What this does is; it raises your energy vibration. (Law of Attraction) and you find yourself manifesting your desires at a faster rate.

Don’t feel bad if someone doesn’t like you. Love yourself! Remember you are the only person you will have a relationship with for your entire life. Love, honor and cherish… You!

If family members or friends are not very supportive, try not to let their negativity sap your energy and your desire to succeed. Be focused on succeeding and you will.

Don’t be afraid to say NO if your heart is telling you to. There is power in the word NO if done gracefully. Saying NO allows you to not give your power away.

Live always in an attitude of deep and profound gratitude. Life will love you back!

ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR HEART! Your head may be saying YES to something and your heart is telling you NO. Your heart is the true compass leading you safely along life’s highway with grace, love and the perfect outcome.

Happy Fall everyone. Enjoy the beauty that is all around us at this time as we enter a period of new Change. It has been awhile since I communicated with you via my monthly Blogs. In March, Change (here I am in this Blog personifying change) came into my life while on vacation in Arizona resulting in a shatter/broken right ankle. Change had some big plans for me as I went from month to month with a slow recovery not realizing at the time that I would end up mastering the art of Patience and finding tremendous Balance in my life.

As I lay waiting to be brought home for surgery, I called/texted severing all links with any business commitments that demanded my time and attention, anything that would distract me from the healing process that lay ahead. I realized Change was with me to stay. I felt that I would be laid up for 3 months. Little did I know that six months to a year was more realistic for healing my ankle injury. I had no idea what I was about to experience, however I was mentally and emotionally ready and I knew I was about to embark on a journey directed by Change. I felt as if an adventure was about to begin. I had no negative emotions whatever regarding my condition and I felt as if unseen forces were supporting me.

Three days after my accident I was on a stretcher flying home flat on my back in the most fabulous private plane, a White Lear Jet. I was told this was the plane of choice for the rich and the famous. Coming home, I was accompanied by 2 medical personnel and the Jet was piloted by a former Air Force female Captain along with her male co-pilot. We were flying 4,000 feet above commercial flights and arrived in Toronto at 6 a.m. It was valet service all the way. We parked in a special hanger at the airport where an ambulance and 2 attendants along with my personal medical team took me straight to my hospital for surgery. All this thanks to my travel insurance. Do not leave home without it folks!

Having a shattered right ankle with plates and screws does not allow one to carry on their normal day to day life. In fact the change from very active to inactive was huge. I was used to fill every hour of every day with “Do-ing”. Here I was now just Be-ing and I must admit, enjoying it! For 3 months my waking and sleeping position was flat on my back with my right leg/foot in a cast elevated 24/7 and having to depend on someone else for my daily needs. All my life if I needed something done I would do it myself rather than ask someone else and also I disliked injections. Well, my friend Change, changed all that because I had to learn to give myself daily injections to prevent blood clots and rely on others for my every need. That was a major Change!

This Change came at a time when I felt I was at the pinnacle of my life. Change made me look within and the answers were profound. Here are some:

Change had been knocking on my door for a long time. The universe was trying to get my attention. However, I felt so secure in my day-to-day status quo life I ignored the signs.

If you don’t “listen” to the little voice within to change direction, the universe will give you a swift kick in the rear to get your attention! WOW!

Always listen to your heart – not your head. Your heart knows what is best for you!

“Heart is truth and head is doubt!”

When Change knocks, even if what is being presented seems financially unstable or unsafe, know that doors will open and opportunities will flow your way that you never imagined!

Learn to say NO gracefully and with a smile. People will respect your decisions and feel safe around you.

Doing nothing is not a crime! In fact that is when your heart gets your attention, speaks to you and puts you on a major highway (of life) when previously you may have been on a side street.

Speak your truth. Be compassionate and kind always. In doing so, you give others permission to do the same.

Anatole France said “All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind us is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter another.” What I thought would have been so hard to let go of, was done for me with a broken ankle. That is why I love Change and welcome it into my life. It is not always joyful, however it always leaves a precious gift.

Seasons change! We never hear of summer refusing to change, not allowing autumn to show off her glorious colours. As humans we too must look forward to change with a positive outlook knowing that Change is there to show us what we can become. Change steers us towards the bigger picture, thus helping us to reach our potential. I would love to hear how positive change changed your life.

The gift you give yourself.

This theme has been floating around in my mind for quite some time now and I was very resistant to write a Blog about it. Why? I really have no answer, so “why not”! Here it is. Many of you may relate to this. Once given a “message” to do something, it does not leave until you follow through with it. I got a big push to write this. The universe went so far as to put in my line of vision all sorts of articles on forgiveness, they were jumping out at me for weeks, so dear readers, here goes my take on what I know and what I have learned over the years about The Power of Forgiveness.

Forgiveness. It is the greatest gift you can give yourself. Honestly! Try it!

When you rid yourself of blaming or resenting another for something they may have done or said to you it is similar to a bag of cement falling from your shoulders. Just imagine living, walking, working, sleeping, carrying that heavy load day after day. Once the load is gone, you lose pounds – literally. You look lighter and you feel lighter. Your family and friends will notice the difference and you will feel so much happier.

Apologizing – another form of forgiveness. If you’ve offended someone – apologize. Do not drag around resentment with you like a ball and chain. It only serves to make you sad and bitter. It will ultimately show in your facial expression and rob you of joy. It doesn’t matter who was right. Someone once said: “Holding a grudge is like taking poison and expecting the other person to die.” Don’t take that poison. Forgive, apologize, forget and move on with your life. You are worth it!

Many are of the opinion that forgiveness releases the person who hurt them from blame, thereby allowing that person to believe that everything is “okay,” and “all is forgiven and forgotten.” Not at all! You have forgiven. That does not mean you have forgotten the hurt you experienced. By forgiving, you give yourself “that wonderful gift of peace and harmony.” Also you released the negative energy surrounding the episode that caused you hurt.

Here is something very profound I found in an article that makes so much sense: Scientists, physicians, and psychologists who have researched the relationship between stress and illness have concluded that the ability or inability to forgive affects the outcome of serious illness. People who have a forgiving nature increase their chances of recovery.

I have heard many people say to me, “I will never forgive or forget” when something happens that makes them sad or angry. It makes me sad for them, because I sense the bitterness they are holding on to in their lives. One cannot be at peace while negative energy is choking out the love that wants to reside there.

The only advice I can share in a case like that is “Forgive. You need not forget! Love yourself and know that every moment you spend upset, anguished, angry or hurt because of someone else’s behaviour, is a moment in which you have chosen to give up control of your life.You are special! Reclaim your power. There is no one like you and there never will be”.

Live, Love and Laugh. I would love to hear your thoughts on forgiveness.

The Ancient Art of
Healing through the sole

Reflexology is a hands-on treatment whereby a trained individual known as a reflexologist using controlled pressure with their thumbs massages the reflexes on each foot during the treatment. This is a drug free treatment that has many benefits including relaxing and de-stressing the recipient on many levels.

So what is Reflexology? If the text books and ancient Egyptian hieroglyphs are to be believed, reflexology was the “spa” treatment of the ancient royals. That is proof of how reflexology was practiced by ancient cultures a long time ago. Somewhere I read that reflexology was a prelude to acupuncture in ancient China. Whether that is true of not I cannot say, however I do know reflexology is a form of acupressure. Why? Because of the pressure applied to the feet during a treatment.

It surprises me when someone asks with a perplexed look “what is Reflexology?” I have had a few individuals look really puzzled when I tell them I am a trained Reflexologist and give a brief explanation of the benefits one derives from a treatment. Recently, I had someone looked me straight in the eye and retorted, ‘who would want to work on people’s feet!’ After that encounter I decided it may help to share the origins and positive attributes of this wonderful relaxing ancient art that is widely used in Clinics and hospitals in Europe and which is catching on in North America.

A reflexology session is known to elicit complete relaxation and can de-stress the most anxious or stressed individual. “Working on the sole, calms the soul.” This wonderful ancient art has many positive effects on the nervous system and I am told it is one of the treatments of choice at Mount Sanai hospital used in their Breast Cancer recovery program. Hat’s off to their progressive approach to healing. Having volunteered at a Hospice many years ago offering Reflexology treatments, I experienced first-hand how reflexology helped each individual.

The oldest reflexology text book I know of was written by Maybelle Segal, R.N. R.D., Naturopathic Doctor (sometime in the ‘40’s). She practiced this ancient art on her clients/patients and went on to share her knowledge in a simple hand book called Reflexology in which she also shared the positive benefits of this drug free therapy. Some of which are:

Our feet mirror the state of our body and for every organ, gland, limb and body part there is a corresponding reflex on the bottom of the feet. (See chart below). Sometimes, when someone is having a treatment and pressure is applied to a certain area of the feet, the individual may feel the response in the area of the body corresponding to the reflex that is being worked on. That is validation that reflexology works on all levels of the body.

It is important to note that Reflexologist cannot diagnose, prescribe or treat for specific conditions. Reflexologist treat the body as a whole , working the entire areas on both feet and not one specific area. Clients are made to understand that reflexology is a complementary treatment and should see their physician for any concerns they may have regarding their health. To find a Reflexologist in your area, you may want to check out a holistic magazine such as Alive or simply go online.

I welcome your questions and especially your comments if you have had a reflexology treatment.